The Climate Change Working Group of Frederick County is unique in its mission. We recognize the need for local action.
The climate has already warmed by 2°Fahrenheit (1°Celsius), since the 1850’s Industrial Revolution– more than half-way to the 3.6°Fahrenheit (2°Celsius) threshold that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has determined will threaten human habitation on the planet.
Through a research and outreach effort, as well as experience, we have learned:
- The Chesapeake Bay is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels. Poplar Island is under water. The City of Annapolis experiences regular flooding. Scientists have pumped mud onto marshes in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to prevent them from sinking under water.
- The eastern U.S. experiences more extreme weather patterns, such as heavy rain and flooding, especially in spring, along with longer, hotter, dryer periods in the summer. Summer weather lasts longer, while winters are warmer overall.
- Forests and arable land are diminishing due to development, while the world population grows. Farmers will be expected to produce more food. The Maryland Commission on Climate Change reports that approximately 25% of our fruits and vegetables come from California, which is currently experiencing a decade-long extreme drought.
- Heat and drought in some areas and sea level rise in others, coupled with increased severe weather and flooding, create climate refugees. Frederick is positioned relatively well in this regard, which may mean that more people re-locate here than are currently projected.
- Water availability will diminish, as evaporation increases, and more stormwater runoff, frequent droughts, and a longer growing season reduce groundwater recharge. This, combined with the need to serve an ever-growing population, means water supplies will need to be more resilient and adaptable.
- Plants and animals are already beginning to migrate north or to higher elevations, as habitats change. Connecting fragmented habitat and facilitating movement along the Appalachians, the most travelled migration corridor in North America, is important for maintaining viable populations integral to our survival.
- Pollinators, estimated to be necessary for the reproduction of 90% of flowering plants and 1/3 of human food crops, are declining.
- Human health is impacted by stresses caused by poor air quality, excessive heat, and food insecurity.
We invite those curious about the future, who envision a better world adapted to climate change to join us. We seek volunteers to help translate that vision into reality, in various ways. If you want to work with others to research, write, edit, teach, share or gain expertise in areas that can be effective in mitigating climate change, check out our organization. Contact Karen Russell or Krista Markstrom-Boon.
